Re : Vaal Flows

[pieterkriel]

This is interesting
http://www.reservoir.co.za/catchment...%20jul2007.pdf

Below the Barrage is the faecal coliform count is low (Slight risk of microbial infection on contact).

You of all people should be the fisrt person to doubt their testing techniques

[GGY]

You of all people should be the fisrt person to doubt their testing techniques

Actually no - seems correct & these are standard tests.

[pieterkriel]

Actually no - seems correct & these are standard tests.

There is probably no reason to doubt their techniques, whould like to see a newer report than the July one however.

[FIGJAM]

This is interesting
http://www.reservoir.co.za/catchment...%20jul2007.pdf

Below the Barrage is the faecal coliform count is low (Slight risk of microbial infection on contact).

W.T.F is faecal coliform? and what does it do.....

[GGY]

W.T.F is faecal coliform? and what does it do.....

Literally it is the amount of CR@P in the water.

The current US Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendations:

• Body-contact recreation < 100 colonies/100 mL
• Fishing and boating < 1000 colonies/100 mL
• Domestic water supply (pre-treatment) <2000 colonies/100 mL.
• The drinking water standard < 1 colony/100 ml.

So the Vaal below the Barrage and Vaal dam is within US EPA limits at the moment for body contact, as well as fishing & boating. It is WELL within the limit of treatable water for domestic supply.

See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal_coliforms

[pieterkriel]

W.T.F is faecal coliform? and what does it do.....

I am no scientist, but here is a definition from elsewhere on the web -
Faecal coliform bacteria :
(Science: gastroenterology, microbiology) aerobic bacteria found in the colon or faeces, often used as indicators of faecal contamination of water supplies.
or
basically animal or human waste substance (faeces) found in a water systems.

You see the fact is that we use these rivers, and effectively this water passes through our human systems. What happens in a very well maintained and well run sewerage processing plant is that the sewerage is treated to a point where the Faecal coliform count is as low as is acceptable by certain international standard, then this purified water is put back into the natural water systems (rivers) for abstraction and reuse. Of course this the abstracted water is then again purified to a level that is again acceptable according to international standard for consumption, and the whole cycle starts again. If you look at the picture from the link you will see within the system there are areas where the concentrations of Faecal coliform is higher than acceptable. If you know the area you will normally find that these areas is either:

1) Close to informal settlement where untreated sewerage gets into the water
2) A sewerage processing plant is running on capacity and raw sewerage overflows into the rivers

This testing is intended to identify where problem areas exists, identify the source or cause of the problem and then try to rectify the problem.

There is quite a lot of information regarding these processes available if you go search the web, or even buy the recent release of the YWG.

[FIGJAM]

So we fishing in SH1T, catching Sh1T? and eating SH1T from the government. So much for a country that prides itself on, as it is put by government.. The worlds best conservation policies...yea right

[FIGJAM]

So much for Dean Impson wanting to eradicate alien fish and reintroducing indigenous fish ,we pollute our rivers with K@K, literally. It is a shame that we have to put up with double standards and watch government failing and pulling wool over the eyes of the majority... I think the majority does not even give a dam. So why cant old Martinus van Skalkwyk be held responsible for the conditions of the Vaal. I feel that its my democratic right to have this issue seen to.

[GGY]

So we fishing in SH1T, catching Sh1T? and eating SH1T from the government. So much for a country that prides itself on, as it is put by government.. The worlds best conservation policies...yea right

Almost all water contains faecal coliforms (animal or human) - our rivers are no different...

[Yellowfever]

So much for Dean Impson wanting to eradicate alien fish and reintroducing indigenous fish ,we pollute our rivers with K@K, literally. It is a shame that we have to put up with double standards and watch government failing and pulling wool over the eyes of the majority... I think the majority does not even give a dam. So why cant old Martinus van Skalkwyk be held responsible for the conditions of the Vaal. I feel that its my democratic right to have this issue seen to.

It's not KB's responsibility that is DWAF's = Hendriks. We should have a political system where KortBroek can K@K on Hendrikse's stoep for stuffing up his portfolio.

The count can be low below the Barrage because of the dillution. It also depends where the next test is done:
1 At the Feedlot at Skandinawië drift.
2 At the inflow of the "Schoonspruit" near Orkney. Having passed through an informal settlement.